Microsoft is hosting an event on October 6, the tagline of which is: “We have some exciting news to share about Windows 10 devices.” While this is not as subtle as Apple’s event invites — which contain, if anything, misdirection — there is still a big grey area surrounding exactly what Microsoft will, and won’t, unveil.

According to Netmarketshare, Windows 10 now has a little over 5% of the total marketshare for PC operating systems which is still under half of Windows 8.1. One of the best ways to make the new OS a compelling purchase — or, as the case may be, free download — is the hardware that it runs on. Evidently this is the next wave of Microsoft’s plan.

Over the past few months there has been a constant drip-drip-drip of news, mainly focused around Microsoft’s smartphone plans, that will culminate into actual products early next month.

Here’s what we expect to be released.

New Lumia smartphones.

A leaked image of the Lumia 950XL, the larger of the two devices.
Despite taking a $3 billion (£1.97 billion) write-down on its Nokia acquisition, Microsoft is still intent on being in the smartphone game and the October event will further these ambitions.

The last Windows flagship device, the Lumia 930, was unveiled in April 2014 and so Microsoft is clearly ascribing to the “better late than never” school of thought.

The new devices will be called the 950 and the 950XL, continuing the naming trend of previous Lumia phones. The “smaller” of the devices will have a 5.2-inch display, placing it in between the iPhone 6S and 6S Plus, while the 950XL comes with a gigantic 5.7-inch screen.

Cameras will be a big part of the new Lumia range, again in keeping with the heritage that comes from devices like the Lumia 1020. There are currently no test shots in existence, but Nokia built up a reputation for making good camera phones, so it’s likely that will continue.

Beyond this, the new Lumia devices are also rumoured to come with USB Type-C-enabled “Quick Charging” — enabling a 10% to 95% charge in 25 minutes — alongside the full Windows 10 Mobile experience.

A new Surface Pro 4.

The current Surface Pro 3, on which the newer model will be based.
Microsoft’s updated Surface Pro, called the 4, will be one of the most interesting products shown off on stage.

Previously, the Surface Pro has acted as a catalyst for other hardware manufactures, a strategy that appears to have started working.

The new Surface Pro 4 will most likely retain the design of the Pro 3, albeit with minor changes to the size, while updating the internals to deliver more power and better battery life. Whether Intel’s latest “Skylake” chipsets make it into the new device remains to be seen, however, as reports suggest the device will be fanless, requiring Intel’s Broadwell chipsets.

Apple recently unveiled the iPad Pro and so eyes will be on Microsoft to compete with a device that will more than likely blast past the Surface Pro in terms of sales. One of the deciding factors between the two will be the Office suite, a cornerstone of productivity that makes the Pro 3 into a viable work machine.

While the future of Microsoft doesn’t ride or die on whether the Surface Pro 4 is a hit, the company’s credibility when it comes to hardware manufacture — an area it has invested billions of dollars in — could take a hit.

An updated Microsoft Band.

Microsoft’s Band version one received mixed reviews.
The Microsoft Band, unveiled in October 2014, is expected to get a refresh at the event, focusing on the design of the device.

The first generation Band came as somewhat of a surprise, pushing Microsoft into an area of wearables that it had little experience in. As a result, the Band received mixed reviews and did not go on to become a commercial success.

Version two, according to various leaks, will double down on the design, making it a device that is comfortable to wear and aesthetically pleasing. After the introduction of the Apple Watch, consumers became far more intolerant of ugly wearables, something Microsoft quickly became aware of.

One of the most interesting aspects of the Band is how it fits into the broader “One Windows” strategy. The device runs Windows 10, just like the Surface, and is another component in Microsoft’s strategy to get everyone using operating system. The analytics produced by the Band can also be used by Microsoft, especially in the workplace.

An update on the HoloLens project.

Microsoft
HoloLens is part of the Windows 10 Holographic project.
While the launch of HoloLens is still some way off, the October 6 event may be used to keep interest in one of the more exciting parts of Microsoft’s business alive.

For a company that does most of its business selling servers to enterprise clients, HoloLens is a big investment, and it’s clear that Microsoft believes that the potential of “Windows Holographic” is huge, both with consumers and companies.

What exactly Microsoft will show off is unclear, and the company may well choose to keep HoloLens off stage to focus on smartphones, the Band and the Surface but a quick update on where the company is in its “five year journey” isn’t too unlikely.

Getting businesses excited by new apps could be one aspect of the presentation, just as the company did earlier this year.

An updated Xbox.

The Xbox One was released in November 2013.
Apple recently unveiled a new TV which, among other things, has the ability to play iOS-style casual games. While this isn’t a threat to Xbox’s gaming ambitions, it takes a chunk out of Microsoft’s already flagging dominance in the living room.

While it may seem strange to cameo a gaming device alongside computer and smartphone hardware, the new Xbox runs a version of Windows 10, meaning that many features that are available on a PC are also available on an Xbox, and vice versa.

Repurposing the Xbox One as a living room device, rather than a games console, may help sales and would increase Microsoft’s position away from the work place. The content available for Windows 10 — specifically in regards to the media and app stores — helps this mission.

A Surface Phone?

A concept of the Surface Phone.
The Surface Phone has been the subject of numerous leaks over the past months as Microsoft attempts to double down on a cohesive brand message focused, unsurprisingly, around the “Surface.”

While it’s unlikely we’ll see a new Lumia range AND a Surface Phone at the October 6 event, Microsoft will make moves in that direction before the end of 2016.

Anyone who has used a Surface Pro can understand the appeal of a Surface Phone with its angular, metallic design and powerful internals that have become the hallmark of what is arguably Microsoft’s greatest product of recent times.

An interesting move for Microsoft would be positioning the Surface Phone as a more enterprise-y device — like the Surface Pro — and bundling the Surface Pen with it, letting the Lumia range appeal to consumers.

Apple is set to announce a handful of new products next week that you’ve already seen elsewhere. But when it comes to Apple, that’s not a problem.

Whether it’s larger phones, a smartwatch or a new mobile payments system — all of which are rumored to be announced next week — Apple will be following the lead of other companies that already have products on the market. That’s prompting renewed criticism that the company has lost its ability to innovate following the death of former CEO and co-founder Steve Jobs.

But even if Apple isn’t the first company to make these products, its track record indicates that it still has the opportunity to reap gains by executing them better than the competition.
“Apple is not usually first to market — they typically make an existing product much better and more usable,” said Amit Daryanani, an analyst with RBC Capital Markets.

Apple is widely expected to unveil a pair of larger iPhones next week measuring 4.7 inches and 5.5 inches, up from four inches on the iPhone 5S.
Those larger phones will finally give Apple (AAPL, Tech30) some entries into the “phablet” market. That product category has been led in recent years by rival Samsung.
For Apple, the larger phones are low-hanging fruit. Customers spent over $10 billion in the company’s App Store last year, the bulk of that going to gaming apps. Bigger screens and faster processors on the new iPhones will make those games even more compelling.As for smartwatches, Apple will be following on the heels of devices from companies like Samsung, LG and Motorola that sync with smartphones and offer features like directions and fitness tracking.
But the recent crop of smartwatches have underwhelmed reviewers and failed to present a compelling reason why they’re more convenient than simply taking your phone out of your pocket. If Apple can find a way to improve on those models — perhaps with more sophisticated health tracking or location awareness — consumers may finally have a reason to ditch their old Timexes en masse.The opportunity is even bigger in mobile payments, where smartphone-based systems like Isis and Google (GOOGL, Tech30) Wallet have been around for years without catching on.

Apple has reportedly been working with major credit-card companies on an iPhone-based payment system. The company already has more than 800 million credit cards on file thanks to iTunes and App Store accounts, according to some estimates, giving it a massive ready customer base.
Add to that the security of the iPhone’s fingerprint identification system and Apple could finally push merchants and consumers to ditch plastic and move to smartphone-based transactions.
“To say that Apple is coming out with a product that already exists ignores the fact that there were MP3 players before the iPod and smartphones before the iPhone,” said Walter Piecyk, an analyst with BTIG. “Those products defined their categories

Having trouble with your iPhone 5 battery? You might be eligible for a free replacement.
Apple (AAPL, Tech30) said “a very small percentage” of iPhone 5 smartphones may “suddenly experience shorter battery life or need to be charged more frequently.”

Don’t get too excited just yet. After a year or two, everyone’s iPhone battery seems to carry less juice than it once did. But Apple’s repair program is limited to certain customers in the United States and China.
Only iPhone 5 smartphones sold between September 2012 and January 2013 are eligible, and only those that fall within a certain range of serial numbers. Apple has opened a website that allows people to determine whether their phones are eligible. (To access your serial number, tap Settings > General > About > Serial Number).

Investors curbed their bets on Apple on Wednesday.

One possible reason: They got a reminder that the company won’t have a free run at the market this fall even with the release of the hotly anticipated iPhone 6 and supposed iWatch.

Apple’s shares fell 4.2%, having hit an all-time closing high of $103.30 on Tuesday. The drop coincided with rival Samsung’s event at the IFA show in Germany, where it previewed new versions of its Galaxy

Samsung unveiled new versions of its Galaxy Note smartphone on Wednesday, featuring a crisper, 5.7-inch display edition version of the Note with a curved edge screen on one of the phone’s sides, helping users to stay focused on their main screen without having to respond to calendar reminders or incoming emails.

It also demonstrated a Virtual Reality headset that on version of the Note with a curved edge screen on one of the phone’s sides, helping users to stay focused on their main screen without having to respond to calendar reminders or incoming emails.

. The launch comes just less than a week before Apple’s September 9 event where Apple is expected to roll out a 4.7- and 5.5-inch iPhone 6 as well as a possible iWatch device. Last week, Samsung said it would begin selling a stand-alone wristwatch, the Samsung Gear S, which will be able to make and receive calls without having to be tethered to a smartphone. Apple is also expected to join forces with credit card companies to provide a mobile payment option for the iPhone 6 and iOS 8.

Microsoft Just Accidentally Revealed The Next Version Of Windows Is Coming Soon Microsoft’s Chinese division may have accidentally revealed the next major update to Windows over social media, suggesting its launch is right around the corner.
Microsoft China may have outted the company’s plans in a post on Chinese social network Weibo by asking the following: “Microsoft’s latest OS Windows 9 is coming soon, do you think the Start menu at the left bottom will make a comeback?”

The company also posted an image with what appears to be Windows tiles arranged to form the number nine, along with the question. Microsoft later confirmed to The Verge that this image is simply a mockup, meaning it has nothing to do with what Windows 9 will look like.

The Weibo post was removed quickly, but Chinese website Cnbeta captured a screenshot before Microsoft took it down, as The Verge first spotted.

We expect to learn more about what the next iteration of Windows will entail later this month. Microsoft is said to be preparing a press event for Sept. 30, where it will presumably unveil a Technology Preview of the upcoming operating system. It’s unclear exactly what a Technology Preview includes, but it’ll likely provide a glimpse at upcoming Windows features such as the mini Start menu.

From what we’ve heard about Windows 9, it seems like Microsoft is making some significant design changes to make its mobile-friendly OS more palatable for traditional PC users.

Mary J. Foley of ZDNet, who has an excellent track record when it comes to reporting Microsoft news, reported that Microsoft will remove the Charms sidebar from Windows for its next release. Users may also be able to open “Metro”-style apps in separate windows on the desktop as well.

COMPANY DESCRIPTION:
Nokia Corporation designs, manufactures, and sells a full range of mobile devices as well as network infrastructure along with services and software on a global basis. The company offers mobile phones and devices based on common mobile phone standards and offers devices that range from entry level to high-end, multifunction smartphones.
All amounts in US$ unless otherwise noted

Technology — Communications Technology — Wireless EquipmentNOKIA SELLS DEVICES & SERVICES BUSINESS TO MICROSOFT FOR ALL-CASH €5.4B TRANSACTION
Investment recommendation: With our global surveys indicating gradually improving Windows Phone 8 smartphone sales due to strong sales of the Lumia 520 and other mid/low-tier Lumia smartphones, we believe the timing makes sense for Microsoft to purchase Nokia’s Devices & Services business in order to fund stronger long-term growth trends. We maintain our HOLD rating but increase our price target to $5.50 ahead of Nokia’s 8 AM EDT conference call.Investment highlights
 Microsoft will pay €3.79 billion to purchase Nokia’s Devices & Services business and €1.65 billion to license Nokia’s patents for a total transaction price of €5.44 billion in cash. We believe the transaction should close in the first quarter of 2014.
 Our recent survey work indicated steadily improving sales of the Lumia 520 and other low/mid-tier Lumia smartphones. In fact, our surveys indicated solid Lumia 520 sales not only in emerging markets such as Russia and key APAC region countries, but also in developed markets such as the U.K. and the U.S.
 We believe Microsoft with its strong balance sheet and increased focus on hardware devices can help accelerate the growing WP8 smartphone momentum. We estimate Lumia sales now constitute over 85% of WP8 smartphone sales. We believe Microsoft has recently worked more in concert with Nokia to drive sales, as evidenced by Microsoft’s advertising campaign featuring Lumia features and by Nokia 1020’s ranking as a top 3 selling smartphone at AT&T.
 Stephen Elop is stepping down as CEO, as Nokia focuses on its three businesses of NSN, HERE, and Advanced Technologies.
 Due to improving Lumia sales trends and prior to the acquisition closing , we slightly raise our 2H/C2013 and C2014 D&S handset sales estimates, resulting in our 2013 non-IFRS EPS estimate increasing from $0.04 to $0.06 and our 2014 estimate increasing from $0.07 to
$0.10.Valuation: Our $5.50 price target (was $33.30) is based on our sum-of-parts analysis.

Emmanuel Fromont, president of the America’s division of Acer, the number four PC maker, tells Nick Wingfield at the Times sales of Windows 8 PCs are coming in worse than expected. “It’s a slow start, there’s no question,” says Fromont.

Fromont isn’t the only person telling this story. At the end of November, Asus CFO David Chang said, “Demand for Windows 8 is not that good right now.”

Windows 8 is a new experience with a steep learning curve that is intimidating some consumers.

Consumers are buying iPads, and delaying upgrades of their Windows-based PCs.

We didn’t reach out to Microsoft for comment on this story, but we know what it would say.

Microsoft would say it’s still too early to judge. It would say NPD’s data set is incomplete. It would say that it announced 40 million Windows 8 upgrades, which is better than it did with Windows 7 over a comparable period of time.

All of those are legitimated rebuttals. This is an ongoing story for Microsoft. But at first glance, it’s just not looking great for Microsoft.

Apple (AAPL : NASDAQ : US$529.82)Google (GOOG : NASDAQ : US$685.42
Apple and Google are teaming up to offer more than $500 million to
purchase Kodak‟s patents out of bankruptcy, according to sources close to the matter.

The rivals have partnered after leading two separate groups this summer to buy some of Kodak‟s 1,100 imaging patents. The Apple-led group included Microsoft (MSFT) and Intellectual Ventures Management LLC while Google‟s team included RPX Corp. and Asian makers of its Android phones. The two offers were both below $500 million. The deal is important for Kodak, who obtained commitments for $830 million in exit financing last month, contingent on the sale of its digital-imaging patents for at least $500 million.
Apple, Google and Kodak all declined to comment on the potential purchase. In the past, Kodak has said tha the patents could

be worth as much as $2.57 billion and that they have generated more than $3 billion in licensing revenue. That said, one industry expert said that “the portfolio is actually worth much less because it has been widely licensed.”